Questions About This Book?

The Used copy of this book is not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included.

Related Products

An Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories, Concepts and Models of Public Policy Making

An Introduction to the Policy Process: Theories, Concepts and Models of Public Policy Making

Summary

Now redesigned for increased user friendliness, this readable and practical introduction to the public policy process is intended for students in either traditional academic or professional programs at the undergraduate or graduate level. The author's direct writing style and extensive use of examples will also appeal to practitioners. The book offers an extensive overview of the best current thinking on the policy process, with an emphasis on accessibility and synthesis rather than novelty and abstraction. It has many features that make it equally useful as a ready reference, including myriad definitions throughout each chapter; an annotated bibliography; an introduction to web-based research, with a guide to the most important and reliable public policy research sites; and additional reading suggestions. New for this edition are chapter-at-a-glance introductions; new case studies for major chapters; new Questions-for-Discussion; and sidebars for definitions.

Author Biography

Thomas A. Birkland teaches public policy and political science and public administration at the University at Albany, State University of New York, where he is director of the university's Center for Policy Research and codirector of the university's Biodiversity and Conservation Policy Program.

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures

ix

Preface

xi

Preface to the Second Edition: The Policy Process After September 11: Change Amid Stability

xvii

The Study and Practice of Public Policy

3

(22)

The Historical and Structural Context of Public Policy Making

25

(27)

Official Actors and Their Roles in Public Policy

52

(27)

Unofficial Actors and Their Roles in Public Policy

79

(29)

Agenda Setting, Power, and Interest Groups

108

(30)

Policies and Policy Types

138

(19)

Policy Design and Policy Tools

157

(24)

Policy Implementation and Policy Failure

181

(19)

Putting It All Together: Models of the Policy Process

200

(33)

Appendix: Public Policy Research on the Web

233

(20)

Notes

253

(16)

References

269

(12)

Index

281

Excerpts

"An Introduction to the Policy Process is intended for students in either academic or professional programs. The author's direct writing style and extensive use of examples will also appeal to practitioners. The book offers an extensive overview of the best current thinking on the policy process, with an emphasis on accessibility and synthesis rather than novelty or abstraction."--BOOK JACKET.